A judge on Friday rejected a plea deal reached between prosecutors and a former Glendale councilman accused of embezzling at least $304,000, calling the agreement a “slap on the wrist” for someone in a position of public trust.

Last week, I watched with delight and surprise a one-minute video that hit the Internet this month under the title, "Hello Glendale."
Complete with filters that gave a dreamy green tint to L.A.'s iconic palm trees, the ceremonious pouring of alcohol and...

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen Marcus agreed on Monday to delay former Councilman John Drayman's criminal trial until April, marking yet another delay in court proceedings since Drayman was indicted in May 2012.
Drayman, who allegedly...

Glendale residents opposed to the possible closure and sale of the city’s historic downtown post office building called on the U.S. Postal Service to rethink its cost-cutting plan during a public forum on Thursday at Glendale City Hall.
Postal...

Jack Spillman died peacefully at his Glendale home after a long illness at the age of 83. Jack was born in Chicago, where he graduated from the University of Chicago. He then relocated to Southern California where he received a second Bachelor’s...

Lawmakers and movie studios battling piracy of copyrighted material this week unveiled a list of rogue states and a campaign to persuade U.S. corporations to pull their support from websites that allow users to illegally download films, television shows and music.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) and other members of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus on Thursday unveiled a watch list of countries where they say piracy is the worst. Like last year, the list includes China, Russia, Canada and...

As a few of you know, North Star Destinations, the Tennessee firm Glendale hired to create a marketing strategy, finally answered the $64,000 question. How do we market Glendale to the outside world? The problem is the $64,000 question cost us about $140,000. And the answer is… drum roll please…
“Your city. Animated.”
I know. Most of you are just ecstatic about this new catch phrase. You can't wait to see the return on investment for this new jewel. I am the only one who...

Q. Home improvement store Lowe's has pulled its advertising from the TLC reality show “All-American Muslim” because of a campaign by the conservative Florida Family Assn. The FFA claims that “'All-American Muslim' is propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda’s clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values.” Residents in Dearborn, Mich., where the show is filmed, called the move “a slap in the face of our rich American diversity.”
In...

My husband has a smart phone. We go out to dinner, hear a song playing in the restaurant and within three minutes know the name of the song, the artist, the movies it was featured in, and which drug the singer overdosed on.
Then, when we get home, we use his phone as a flashlight to illuminate the keyhole in our door. It’s an amazing device.
Me, I have a dumb phone. It rings. I answer. I talk for a minute or two. Then I hang up. Advertisers would have me feeling like a chump for my inferior...

As I peruse the News Press this week, budget cuts seem to be a recurring theme all over town. Of course, I’d have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to notice.
I can’t stop thinking about the misguided branding effort our city was so hot to pursue about this time last year. You might remember I took several swipes at Northstar Destination Strategies, the company from Tennessee the city hired to provide us with a brand image that promised to improve our self esteem, raise awareness and increase...

CITY HALL — The defunct New Horizons Family Center has sold its former headquarters to a local businessman for $1.73 million — all of which has gone to repay government grants and back taxes.
The local nonprofit closed its doors in January in the wake of mounting financial problems after nearly two decades of providing child care to low-income families in south Glendale.
The closure came several months after founder Maria Prieto announced she would be forced to scrap longstanding plans for a...

City officials are poised to expand a program that allows businesses and nonprofit groups to buy banner ads at all municipal sports fields in an effort to generate more revenue.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission endorsed the plan Monday, setting the stage for city officials to come back with a formal proposal in about two months, said Community Services and Parks Director Jess Duran.
Even with the expanded program, in which banners will be available for up to $200 a pop per month,...